Sunday, July 28, 2013

After my race in Heusden, I played the waiting game. I took bets, changing my plans, and prepared myself mentally in the event that I was allowed to race in Monaco. And two days before the event, I received the good news that I would be flying to the Riviera and competing in one of the most prestigious 5ks of the year. Flying into Nice, France I was able to get my first glimpse of what awaited me. Lined up on the tarmac were rows upon rows of private jets. No big deal right? On the short drive from Nice to Monaco, one could visually see the increase of wealth. Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces, Ferraris, and Bentleys litter the sides of the roads. Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Chanel occupy the small shops. An espresso cost 10 Euro, and when asked where one could get lunch for under 20 Euro, the hotel concierge laughed and muttered, “you couldn’t even dine at the McDonalds for that.” Sidewalks were (literally) paved in marble, a “jogging” sidewalk was made out of the same material as a running track, and Pellegrino flowed from the hotel’s shower head. Okay, okay, that last one was made up, but still, the excess and wealth were dizzying.

The race itself proved to be fast. Very fast. I hung on in the first few laps, with the first 1k, 2k, and 3k being reached in faster times than I have ever spilt. Unfortunately, things went downhill from there. While the early pace was a bit quick for my liking, I made a few tactical errors that cost me dearly. The leaders ended up running a world leading time, and multiple guys broke 13 minutes. I finished alone in 8th. While the time was not bad (13:13), I was disappointed I didn’t take the risk to hang on a bit longer. I need to make the leap and not be afraid of failing. Putting myself in uncharted territory is the only way to continue to learn and improve.

After Monaco I came down with a nasty cold and had to withdraw from my last European race. I decided to return to New Hampshire early to be able to rest and recover. Over the next few weeks I will plan out the rest of the summer and fall racing, and look forward to getting back on the track. With my early summer European adventure behind me, I look forward to see what the rest of the summer will bring.

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Who me?

Ben True

I'm Ben, an athlete on the Roster of In the Arena, a nonprofit organization that anchors the highest-caliber role models in underserved communities with the aim of effecting positive and lasting change in today's youth. You can view my profile on ITA's site by clicking here, or you can email me by clicking here.